Paper dispensing device



Sept. 5, 1939. H. F. ENNIS ET AL PAPER DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Sept 21,19:58 I

INVENTOR ATTO Patented Sept. 5, '1939 UNITED STATES PAPER DISPENSINGDEVICE Harry F.-Ennis and John H. Ennis, Dayton, Ohio ApplicationSeptember 2 Claims.

This invention relates to paper dispensing devices and more particularlyto supports for removably holding rolls of paper while being dispensed.

An object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for a roll ofpaper releasably held in position, which dispenser permits the automaticinsertion of the roll without manual manipulation of the device.

Another object of this invention is'to provide a paper roll holder thatis cheap, easily constructed and at the same time efiicient and pleasingin appearance.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become moreapparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of thepreferred embodiment attached to the wall.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the embodiment shownin Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view similar to thatshown in Figure 2, showing the retaining members in position forreleasing the roll.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modification.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another modification, showing aretaining member made from a unitary strip of steel.

In the past, numerous types of roll dispensing devices have been usedfor supporting rolls of paper, such as towel paper, toilet paper, waxedpaper and other paper dispensed from the roll. In many of these devicesit is necessary to disassemble the structure to permit the removal ofthe core and the insertion of a new roll. This requires time, patienceand a certain degree of skill.

In the preferred embodiment and the several modifications shown herein,the retaining members for holding the roll in position upon the supportautomatically flex or spring out of rollretaining position by theleading end of the roll, so as to permit insertion of the roll withoutmanual manipulation of the support and the retaining means upon thesupport. The core of the dispensed roll, which is usually tubular,snugly fits the tubular portion of the support. The core may be removedby manually pressing a pair of retaining dogs inwardly, so as to permitthe removal of the core from the support over the retaining dogs. Assoon as the core extends out over the innerportions of the re- 21, 1938,Serial No. 230,918

taining dogs, the manual pressure upon the dogs may be released and thecore removed by merely pulling the core outwardly. The retaining. dogsare provided with shoulders extending substantially normal to thelongitudinal axis of the support and the longitudinal axis of the roll,so as to provide a straight edge support for the exposed end of theroll. If the roll-contactin shoulders of the dogs were inclined, theroll would gradually crawl or creep upon the inclined shoulders, therebycausing dogs to bind the roll in position. By using straight shoulders,this difficulty is eliminated.

In the drawing, a tubular supporting member in is fixedly attached to awall bracket l2 by welding or otherwise. The wall bracket I2 is providedwith a pair of oppositely disposed ears ll, having holes for screws l6,which screws hold the supporting bracket l2 in position on the side ofthe wall. The longitudinal axis of the tubular member it! extends in adirection normal to the surface of the wall.

The outer diameter of the tubular member ID is substantially the same asthe diameter of the core of the paper roll 20. Likewise, the length ofthe tubular member. ID is substantially the same as the width of thepaper. The paper roll 20 is held in position by a pair of resilientlymounted dogs 22, each of which is provided with an arcuate surface 22a,a shoulder 22b and an inner facet 220. The dogs 22 are supported upon apair of leaf springs 24, projecting into the tube I0 and held inposition by suitable rivets 25 or by welding. The dogs 22 may be madefrom suitable plastic molding material, such as pyroxylin, Bakelite orthe like, or these may be made from metal.

In the embodiments shown, the dogs 22 and the springs 24 have beenmounted for movement in a horizontal plane. The dogs 22 and theirsprings 24 may be mounted for movement in a plane lying in any otherangular position. For example, these dogs could be mounted for movementin a vertical plane equally as well. One dog would then be mounted on aspring extending into the tube In along the top thereof and the otherdog on a spring extending into the tube along the bottom. A balancedrelation of the roll retaining means is obtained by the diametricalarrangement of the dogs engaging opposite sides of the roll.

The roll of paper 20 may be inserted by pushing the end of the rollagainst the arcuate surfaces 22a of the dogs 22, so as to cause thesedogs to be deflected inwardly, as shown in Figroll, or for that matterthe partially spent roll,

it is merely necessary to press the dogs 22 with two fingers to forcethe dogs inwardly into the position shown in Figure .3, when the roll orcore may be slipped over the dogs 22. Immediately upon the core 01. theroll overlying thein- 'ner ends of the dogs 22, the-pressure may bereleased upon thetips of the dogs, as the core will hold the dogs in thein position, thereby permitting the core to be withdrawn from thetubular support It], at which time the support is in readiness for a newroll. When only two dogs are used, it is merely necessary to use thefinger-tips of two fingers to deflect the dogs. If more dogs were used,diiiieulty in removing the core or roll would be encountered.

Instead of dogs and leaf springs being used, a pair of spring-likemembers 39, shown in Figure 5, may be used, each of which includes abody portion 32, a flange 34 and a finger-tip portion 36. The finger-tipportion is preferably arcuate, so as to present a handle-like surfacewhen pressed by the fingers. Thus, a pair or members stamped from astrip of sheet metal may be stamped or formed into proper shape forretaining the roll in position.

In Figure 4 a modification has been shown, wherein the roll is supportedupon the longitudinal axis thereof extending in parallel relation withthe wall. This has been accomplished by mounting the tubular support Itupon an L- shaped bracket 40, provided with a leg 42 extending paralleltothe wall. This leg 42 is provided with a pair of holes 44 forreceiving screws holding the bracket in position wall.

Although the dispensing device has been shown for supporting a roll ofpaper, the same device may be used to support rolls of other material,such as cloth,"adhesive tape, spools of thread and the like.

Although the preferred modification of, the device has been described,it will be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, which genupon the side of the erally stated consist in a devicecapable 01' carrying out the objects set forth, in the novel parts,combination of parts and mode of operation, as disclosed and defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device for dispensing strips of sheet material and the like froma roll, the combination or supporting means including a tubular rollsupporting member having one end open and the other end mounted upon asupport fixedly attached to a wall, with roll retaining means includinga pair oi. diametrically disposed leaf springs having their inner endsattached to the inside 01' the wall of the tubular member and theirouter ends projecting through the open end of the tubular member, saidouter ends being biased outwardly, the outwardly biased outer ends ofthe springs supporting a'pair of diametrically disposed arcuatelytapered finger-grip dogs hav- 1 ing the outer ends iorming finger-gripsurfaces,

each of the dogs having a shoulder extending parallel to the end of theroll and abutting the same to hold the roll in position, the core of theroll being releasable from the support by exerting a finger pressureupon the finger-grip surfaces of the dogs to force these inwardly so asto clear the core and a new roll movable into.

position upon the support by the core of the roll deflecting the dogsinwardly.

2. In a device for dispensing strips of sheet material and the like troma roll, the combination of supporting means including a tubular rollsupporting member having one end open and the other end mounted upon asupport fixedly attached to a wall, with roll retaining means includinga pair of diametrically disposed leaf springs having their inner endsattached to the inner wall of the tubular member and their outer endsprojecting through the open end of the tubular member and being biasedoutwardly, the outer end of each spring being provided with an outwardlydirected flange merging into an inclined arcuate flngern'p-portion, theoutwardly extending flange extending in parallel relation to the end ofthe roll and abutting the same to hold the roll in position, the core01' the roll being releasableirom the support by exerting a fingerpressure upon the finger-grip portion of the springs to force theseinwardly so as to clear the core and a new roll movable into positionupon the support by the core of the roll defiecting the finger-gripportions inwardly.

- HARRY F. ENNIS.

JOHN H. ENNIS.

